I met “Spocker”, a machine to chase away the ghosts from under your bed. But only the bad ghosts! “Spocker” was invented by six years old Mathis and was implemented with the help of MyMachine. In this video Piet Grymonprez explains how children in elementary school can bring their ideas to life by collaborating with students from higher education and from vocational training.

The methodology behind MyMachine

The unique approach of MyMachine brings learners from three stages in education together (see slide above). Students learn not only about machines but also about creativity, communication and collaboration. The three step methodology (taken from mymachine-global.org/ourapproach/):

STEP 1. IDEA:
children from primary schools invent and present (via drawings, models, manuals, …) their own ‘Dream Machine’. Anything goes: from a machine that helps you to put peanut butter on a sandwich to a machine that cleans your room. The main criterion is that it’s relevant for the child who really, really wants it.
STEP 2. CONCEPT:
higher education students (e.g. product design, game design students, engineers, architect students, art students) propose one or more solutions to design those machines. The best solutions – according to the children – then are selected and further developed.
STEP 3. WORKING PROTOTYPE:
finally, the technical drawings/designs and working concepts are handed over to Technical Secondary Schools . They build real prototypes of those machines, assisted by the kids who invented them and the higher education students who designed them. Throughout this whole process the children, pupils and students can use the expertise and support of a wide range of local corporations and organizations who share a common view on creativity and innovation.

Background: Bring MyMachine to Germany

I met Piet Grymonprez in Ljubljana. Piet is the Co-Founder & Managing Director of MyMachine Global Foundation, a non-profit company (Web | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram). The project is endorsed by the United Nations. MyMachine is distributed globally by franchising. By the end of 2017, Germany is still a blank spot on the map.